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McCaskill’s campaign said that Betty Anne WardMcCaskill, 84, died Monday at her home in St. Louis. The Democratic senator had said Saturday that her mother suffered from “acute cardio-renal failure” and had lost consciousness at several points in recent days.

Starting last Tuesday, McCaskill canceled most events in her re-election campaign against Republican Todd Akin in order to spend time with her mother.

Betty Anne McCaskill was a political trailblazer in her own regard. She was the first woman elected to the Columbia, Mo., City Council in 1971. She also aided her daughter’s campaigns over the years, oftentimes drawing attention to the rising costs of health care for seniors.